To New Zealand and beyond

ASIA A GROWTH MARKET FOR LUXURY CAR BRAND INFINITI

Infiniti Q50 sedan

Last year New Zealand had a record 146,753 units registered with predictions of more than 150,000.

“We wanted to grow, too, in a geographical perspective . . . initially we will start in Auckland and Christchurch for coverage. We will have to assess [ expanding further], it will have to be feasible,” said Fujita- san.

Infiniti New Zealand’s chief operations officer, Tom Griffiths, said expansion would depend on “what the market has been doing”.

“Wewill look at the growth patterns in the regions . . . we have to go to traditional markets first then look at growth areas ( such as Tauranga and Mount Maunganui),” said Griffiths.

Infiniti will be sold in Auckland out of the Renault dealership in Greenlane while its own showroom is being built at 500 Great South Rd, and in 10 days will open in Christchurch at the city’s Infiniti QX70 sports SUV Infiniti QX80 premium SUV Renault dealership.

Neither Griffiths nor Fujita- san wanted to predict sales in New Zealand for 2017 for Infiniti, but both said their products were “driver- centric”.

“Infiniti is the premium brand for the [ Nissan- Renault] alliance,” said Fujita- san, while Griffiths described it as the “sports performance” brand for the alliance.

“Infiniti stands on its own two feet,” said Griffiths.